It was another gloomy day for Femi. His eyes are clouded with tears as he thumbs through the promotion list on his computer screen looking for his name. His trembling hands, teary eyes, throbbing heart, all spelt anxiety… Again, Femi has been passed over for this year’s promotion…the fourth year running.

Femi fancies himself a diligent and important contributor to the team, even though Markson, his supervisor, thinks otherwise. And in three separate annual appraisals, Markson has maintained that Femi is average and undeserving of a promotion. Meanwhile, for Femi, Markson is merely being wicked and heartless.

The matter of promotion is usually a serious one as far as the corporate world is concerned. Whether as a reward and recognition scheme, or as an expanded responsibilities path, getting promoted always adds great colour to one’s career journey. As such, being passed over is as nerve racking as anything we can imagine.

In a 2011 Harvard Business Review article, Didn’t Get that Promotion? Amy Gallo said “whether you thought you deserved the job [promotion] or were promised it, no one likes hearing that they didn’t meet the mark.” And this is very true.

Here are four things to help you manage the disappointment of missing a promotion season, and position you for the next season:

Get Honest Feedback

Left to you, your contribution to your team is deserving of recognition and reward. You are more likely to score yourself higher than you objectively deserve. As such, asking for honest feedback from another party may be your best bet in identifying areas that need improvement. You can get this from your supervisor, colleagues or others. If done correctly, this will help you plot the map for growth.

Chin Up

Like Femi in our story, missing a promotion can be disheartening. But it should not make one lose focus on doing a good job. Pull yourself together and be determined to do what it takes to make the impact needed. Stay encouraged and brave.

Understand your KPI

In many organizations, there are target expectations called Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). They are like the dart board, there to help you envision the goals and reward metrics. Taking time to understand your performance metrics will not only help you stay committed, but it ensures that you don’t waste your effort on things that do not matter.

Keep Records

Data is your ally as far as growing in the corporate world is concerned. Learn to measure and record your contributions to your team or organization. Aside making a healthy part of your career story, recording details of your contribution will help you defend your promotion request.

Approaching your personal career management in this scientific manner is important, my friend. And even if you missed a promotion season, mastering these four items can make all the difference in your future. Cheers my friend.